Trevor Ng
Golf has had a complicated relationship with the Olympics. The sport was first included in the Olympic Games programme in 1900 and was also contested in 1904. However, due to various reasons, including disputes and boycotts, it was then removed as a competition and didn't make a comeback until 2016 at the Rio Games. The inclusion of golf in the Olympics has been a subject of debate, with some players embracing the opportunity to represent their countries and others expressing less interest. In 2024, Paris will mark the third time that golfers will compete for medals in the Olympics, with the competition taking place at Le Golf National outside of Paris, France.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is golf an Olympic sport? | Yes |
| First included in Olympics | 1900 |
| Last included in Olympics | 2024 Paris Olympics |
| Next inclusion in Olympics | 2028 Los Angeles Olympics |
| Years included in Olympics | 1900, 1904, 2016, 2020, 2024, 2028 |
| Years excluded from Olympics | 1908, 1920, 1924-2012 |
| Governing body | International Golf Federation |
| Number of golfers in 1900 | 22 |
| Number of golfers in 1904 | 77 |
| Number of golfers in 2024 | 60 (32 countries in the men's competition) |
| Number of golfers throughout history | 98 |
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What You'll Learn
Golf's Olympic history
Golf has had an on-off relationship with the Olympics. The sport first appeared at the Games in 1900 in Paris, and featured again in 1904 in St. Louis. However, it then took a 112-year break before returning for Rio 2016.
Golf's debut in 1900 featured 22 golfers, and the sport's first Olympic gold medallist was Charles Sands of the USA. The 1904 Games also featured the first (and so far, only) team golf competition at the Olympics. However, rather than golfers teaming up by nation, the competition featured teams of 10 from various regional golf associations around the United States. The gold medal was won by the Western Golf Association, which featured top player H. Chandler Egan.
In 1904, Canada's George Lyon won the men's individual gold medal. He had only been playing golf for eight years and had previously competed in baseball, tennis and cricket. He swung his golf club in a manner more akin to that of a cricket athlete than a golfer. Lyon was the only entrant in the 1904 tournament after a dispute between representatives of England and Scotland over the format led to a boycott by British golfers. Lyon was offered the gold medal but refused it.
Golf tournaments were scheduled for the 1908 and 1920 Games but were cancelled due to a lack of entrants. The sport finally returned to the Olympics in 2016, with a men's and women's individual stroke play tournament. Great Britain's Justin Rose won the men's gold medal, with the Republic of Korea's Inbee Park claiming the women's title.
The USA is the most successful nation in Olympic golf history, with 13 medals including five golds. The USA's Xander Schauffele won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), while his compatriot Nelly Korda won the women's gold at the same Games.
In April 2025, it was announced that a new mixed team event would be added to golf for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
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Rules and regulations
Golf at the Olympic Games follows an individual stroke-play format, similar to events on the PGA and LPGA tours. The basic rules of the game are the same as those that govern golf at all levels, from recreational games to major championships.
Qualification
To directly qualify for the Olympic golf competition, players need to rank among the top 15 in the OWGR. Each country can have up to four players if they are in the top 15. After that, countries can have up to two more spots based on their world rankings, making a total of 60 players. This setup ensures that players from across the world get a chance to compete for the gold medal. A rule also guarantees at least one player from each continent will get to play in both the men's and women's competitions.
Scoring
The players are positioned on the leaderboard according to their score relative to par, and the winner is the player who records the fewest total strokes to complete 72 holes (four rounds of 18 holes each). The second- and third-place finishers receive silver and bronze medals, respectively. In the event of two or more players finishing with the same score, those players will compete in a sudden-death playoff.
Clubs
Players may carry a maximum of 14 golf clubs in their bag during a round. Clubs can be swapped out during a tournament, but only between rounds or if a club is damaged through no fault of the player.
Caddies
A caddie may accompany a player on the course, carry the player's clubs, and assist with strategy, yardage, reading greens, and club selection.
Tee Shots
Players begin each hole from the tee box. For the first shot, players may elevate the ball off the ground using a tee, which can be made of plastic or wood. For subsequent shots, the ball must be played as it lies on the course.
Putting Surface
Once the player's ball reaches the putting surface (the green), they are free to mark, pick up, clean, and replace the ball.
Strokes
Each time the player advances the ball toward the hole using a club, it is recorded as one stroke.
Playing Area
The field of play in golf is called a golf course. Each golf course consists of 18 holes, the first nine of which are called the front nine, and the remaining nine are called the back nine. Some golf courses have only nine holes, in which case the entire course is repeated once to constitute a round of 18 holes. The stretch for every hole is unique in terms of topography, and no two holes in any golf course worldwide are exactly the same. The majority of the stretch is covered with grass and is called the rough. A certain area near the hole is earmarked as the green or fairway, with shorter grass and a smoother surface. There may be trees, shrubs, or even forests surrounding or inside the playing area, which is often marked by white stakes. Each hole has its unique set of hazards, such as sand traps and water bodies.
Animal Interference
Golf courses are home to various forms of wildlife, so encountering a critter during a play is not uncommon. If an animal interferes with your ball's movement, you may be penalised under Rule 4-2. However, if an animal, such as a seagull, flies off with your ball, there is no penalty, and you are allowed to replace your ball at the spot from which it was taken.
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Qualifying for the Olympics
Golf was first recognised as a sport in the Summer Olympic Games in 1900 and was also contested in 1904. However, it was then absent from the Olympics for over a century, until it made a comeback in 2016. The sport's elite will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals for the third time in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Qualification for the Olympic Golf Competition is determined primarily by the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) for men and the Women's World Golf Rankings. The top 15 players from each ranking are eligible for the Olympics, with a maximum of four players from each country.
The Olympic Golf Rankings (OGR) are calculated every Monday, following the completion of the previous week's tournaments from around the world. Ranking points for each player are accumulated over a two-year "rolling" period. The OGR is then ordered according to the average points accumulated by athletes over this period.
Once the top 15 players are selected, athletes ranked 16th onwards are selected, with up to a maximum of two athletes per country, including those within the top 15, until 59 athletes are reached. Each of the five continents of the Olympic Movement is guaranteed at least one athlete in each of the women's and men's events. If they have not automatically qualified, the places will be allocated to the highest-ranked athlete(s) from the continent without representation.
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Golfers' attitudes towards Olympic participation
Golf has had a sporadic history in the Olympic Games, featuring in the 1900 and 1904 Summer Olympics, with a brief return in 1908 that was cancelled less than two days before the tournament was due to start. After this, the sport disappeared from the Olympic programme until 2016, when it was reinstated for the Rio Games.
Since its return, golfers' attitudes towards Olympic participation have been mixed. Some golfers, like Rory McIlroy, have embraced the opportunity to compete for their countries and experience the Olympic spirit. McIlroy, for example, initially criticised the idea of golf in the Olympics but changed his mind after competing at the Tokyo Games in 2021, saying:
> "I made some comments before that were probably uneducated and impulsive... But coming here experiencing it, seeing, feeling everything that goes on, not just Olympic golf but just the Olympics in general, that sort of Olympic spirit's definitely bitten me and I'm excited how this week's turned out and excited for the future."
However, other golfers have been less enthusiastic about the prospect of Olympic participation. When golf was reintroduced in 2016, a handful of players said they would pass on playing, citing their busy schedules and the fact that winning an Olympic gold medal is not the pinnacle of achievement in golf, as it is in many other sports. There were also concerns about the Zika virus in Rio, which caused some players to drop out.
One issue that golfers have had to grapple with is the format of Olympic golf tournaments. In the past, disputes over the format have led to boycotts, such as in 1908 when a dispute between representatives of England and Scotland resulted in British golfers withdrawing from the competition. There have been calls from golfers and the International Golf Federation (IGF) for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to consider adding a match play tournament, a team tournament, and/or opening up the Olympic tournament to more golfers by using a different qualifying system.
Despite these initial hesitations and ongoing discussions about format, it seems that golfers' attitudes towards Olympic participation are becoming more positive. With Paris marking the third time that golf will be included in the Olympic programme since its return, players and fans who once questioned the marriage of the sport and the event have begun to embrace the idea.
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Golf's future in the Olympics
The Olympic Golf Competition in Paris will take place from August 1-4 for the men's event and August 7-10 for the women's, with 60 players competing in each tournament. Qualification is based on the Olympic Golf Rankings (OGR), which are calculated using the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and updated regularly based on athletes' performances in ranking tournaments around the world.
While some have questioned the relevance of Olympic golf, particularly in its early stages, there is an expectation that its prestige will grow over time. The sport's inclusion in the Olympics is seen as a way to boost viewership and please sponsors, but it also provides an opportunity for golfers to represent their countries and compete for a gold medal, which comes with perks such as exemptions into major championships.
Looking further ahead, it has been announced that a new mixed team event will be introduced for the 2028 Summer Olympics, indicating that golf is likely to remain a part of the Olympic programme for the foreseeable future. This addition addresses calls from some quarters for a team tournament alongside the individual competitions, and it will be interesting to see how this new format is received and whether it boosts the profile of Olympic golf.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, golf is in the Olympics.
Golf first featured in the Summer Olympic Games in 1900 and was also contested at the 1904 Summer Olympics.
Golf returned to the Olympics in 2016.
The OGR is based on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).
Scottie Scheffler took home the gold medal for the US at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
